• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2020

We analyze the observations of temperature and ozone measured by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) during the period of 2005-2016, to investigate the vertical structures of temperature and ozone in the stratosphere and mesosphere during stratospheric sudden warming (SSW). We compute the height profiles of the correlation coefficients between 55 height levels of MLS temperature anomalies and compare them with the results of Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model simulations for three major SSWs. We also construct the temperature and ozone anomalies for the events to investigate the changes in the temperature and ozone distributions with height. There seems to always be a relatively weak but broad negative correlation between the temperature anomaly at 10 hPa and temperature anomalies over the entire mesosphere during the period before SSW events. However, this pattern gets stronger in the lower mesosphere but becomes a positive correlation in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere after the onset of SSW. We also found that the temperatures from the simulations show a similar trend to the observational results but with smaller variations and the transition height from negative to positive correlation in the mesosphere is much lower in the simulation than in the actual observations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2018

Non-specular, vertically upward transit, fast-moving radar echoes are observed in the summer polar upper mesosphere near 90 km using 52 MHz VHF radar at Esrange, Sweden. By resolving maximum echo power movement, the unusual meteor trails propagate vertically upward with taking horizontal displacements at an initial speed of 10 km/s exponentially decreasing with increasing height from 85-89 km, lasting for 3.5 sec. Another upward transit is observed as following a downward transit echo target in about ~1 sec, lasting over 5 sec. The upward motion cannot be explained with the dynamics of penetrating meteors or by atmospheric dynamics. The observation proposes that secondary produced plasma jets occurring from meteor trail are possibly responsible for upward fast moving echoes. The long-lasting (3-5 sec), ascending meteor trails at speeds of a few $10^4m/s$ are distinctive from any previous occurrences of meteors or upper atmospheric electrical discharges in the aspect of long-lasting upward/downward motions. This result possibly suggests a new type of meteor-trail leader discharge occurring in the summer polar upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.169-176
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• 2014

Since the operation of the King Sejong Station (KSS) started in Antarctic Peninsula in 1989, there have been continuous efforts to perform the observation for the upper atmosphere. The observations during the initial period of the station include Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) and Michelson Interferometer for the mesosphere and thermosphere, which are no longer in operation. In 2002, in collaboration with York University, Canada, the Spectral Airglow Temperature Imager (SATI) was installed to observe the temperature in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region and it has still been producing the mesopause temperature data until present. The observation was extended by installing the meteor radar in 2007 to observe the neutral winds and temperature in the MLT region during the day and night in collaboration with Chungnam National University. We also installed the all sky camera in 2008 to observe the wave structures in the MLT region. All these observations are utilized to study on the physical characteristics of the MLT region and also on the wave phenomena such as the tide and gravity wave in the upper atmosphere over KSS that is well known for the strong gravity wave activity. In this article, brief introductions for the currently operating instruments at KSS will be presented with their applications for the study of the upper atmosphere.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2002

We report all sky camera and Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) observations of mesospheric gravity waves and a 12-hour wave at Resolute $(75^{\circ}N)$ and a joint observation of 10-hour wave with Eureka $(80^{\circ}N)$. All sky camera observations showed a low occurrence of mesosphere gravity waves during equinoxes, which is similar to the mid-latitude region. A slightly higher occurrence near solstice appears to indicate that gravity waves are not filtered out by the neutral wind in the winter. The FPI observation of a 12-hour wave showed amplitude variations from day to day. The phase of the wave is mostly stable and consistent with the GSWM prediction in the winter. The phase shifts with season as predicted by the GSWM. Four events of the 12-hour wave were found in spring with amplitudes larger than the GSW predictions. The FPls at Resolute and Eureka also observed a wave with period close to 10 hours. The 10-hour wave maybe the result of the non-linear interaction between the semi-diurnal tide and the quasi-two day wave. Further studies are under way. Overall, the combined Resolute and Eureka observation have revealed some new fractures about the mesospheric gravity wave, tidal wave, and other oscillations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2001

As part of a long-term program for polar upper atmospheric studies, temperatures and intensities of the OH(3-1) bands were derived from spectrometric observations of airglow emissions over King Sejong station($62.22^{circ}S,\;301.25^{circ}E$). These measurements were made with a Michelson interferometer to cover wavelength regions between 1000nm and 2000 nm. A spectral analysis was performed to individual nights of data to acquire information on the waves in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere. It is assumed that the measured fluctuations in the intensity and temperature of the OH (3-1) airglow were caused by gravity waves propagating through the emission layer. Correlation of intensity and temperature variation revealed oscillations with periods ranging from 2 to 9 hours. We also calculated Krassovsky’s parameter and compared with published values.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2004

The terrestrial nightglow emission in near infrared region were obtained using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer(FTS) at Esrange, Sweden ($67.90^{\circ}$N, $21.10^{\circ}$E) and the OH(4- 2) bands were used to derive temperature and airglow emission rate of the upper mesosphere. For this study, we analyzed data taken during winter of 2001/2002 and performed spectral analysis to retrieve wave information. From the Lomb-Scargle spectral analysis to the measured temperatures, dominant oscillations at various periods near tidal frequency are found. Most commonly observed waves are 4, 6, and 8 hour oscillations. Because of periods and persistence, the observed oscillations are most likely of tidal origin, i.e. zonally symmetric tides which are known to have their maximum amplitudes at the pole.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 1999

A Fourier Transform Spectrometer was used to study upper mesospheric thermodynamic by observing the hydroxyl(OH) emission. Rocket-born and satellited-born photometers place the peak emission near 87 km. The instrument was installed in February 1999 at King Sejong station ($62.22^{circ}S,301.25^{circ}E$), Antarctica and has been in routine operation since then. An intensive operational effort has resulted in a substantial data between April and June, 1999. A harmonic analysis was carried out to examine information on the tidal characteristics. The measured amplitudes of the 12-hour oscillation are in the range of 2.4-3.7 K, which are in resonable agreement with theoretical model outputs. The harmonic analysis also revealed 8-hour oscillation which is not expected from the traditional theoretical studies. In addition, the observed 8-hour oscillations are apparent and sometimes dominate the temperature variation in the upper mesosphere.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.101-111
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• 2023

We conducted a statistical study of polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSEs) in relation to magnetic local time (MLT), considering the geomagnetic conditions using the K-index (or K). Additionally, we performed a case study to examine the velocity profile, specifically for high velocities (≥ ~100 m/s) varying with high temporal resolution at high K-index values. This study utilized the PMSE data obtained from the mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere radar located in Esrange, Sweden (63.7°N, 21°E). The change in K-index in terms of MLT was high (K ≥ 4) from 23 to 04 MLT, estimated for the time PMSE was present. During the near-midnight period (0-4 MLT), both PMSE occurrence and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) displayed an asymmetric structure with upper curves for K ≥ 3 and lower curves for K < 3. Furthermore, the occurrence of high velocities peaked at 3-4 MLT for K ≥ 3. From case studies focusing on the 0-3 MLT period, we observed persistent eastward-biased high velocities (≥ 200 m/s) prevailing for ~18 min. These high velocities were accompanied with the systematic motion of profiles at 85-88 km, including large shear formation. Importantly, the rapid variations observed in velocity could not be attributed to neutral wind effects. The present findings suggest a strong substorm influence on PMSE, especially in the midnight and early dawn sectors. The large zonal drift observed in PMSE were potentially energized by local electromagnetic fields or the global convection field induced by the electron precipitation during substorms.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2010

We have carried out all-sky imaging of OH Meinel, $O_2$ atmospheric and OI 557.7 nm airglow layers in the period from July of 2001 through September of 2005 at Mt. Bohyun, Korea ($36.2^{\circ}$ N, $128.9^{\circ}$ E, Alt = 1,124 m). We analyzed the images observed during a total of 153 clear moonless nights and found 97 events of band-type waves. The characteristics of the observed waves (wavelengths, periods, and phase speeds) are consistent with internal gravity waves. The wave occurrence shows an approximately semi-annual variation, with maxima near solstices and minima near equinoxes, which is consistent with other studies of airglow wave observations, but not with those of mesospheric radar/lidar observations. The observed waves tended to propagate westward during fall and winter, and eastward during spring and summer. Our ray tracing study of the observed waves shows that majority of the observed waves seemed to originate from mesospheric altitudes. The preferential directions and the apparent source altitudes can be explained if the observed waves are secondary waves generated from primary waves that have been selected by the filtering process and break up at the mesospheric altitudes.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 2018

A Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) for mesospheric observations was installed at King Sejong Station ($62.2^{\circ}S$, $58.9^{\circ}W$) in Antarctica in 2017. For the initial validation of the FPI measurements, we compare neutral wind data recorded with the FPI with those from a Meteor Radar (MR) located nearby. The overall characteristics of the FPI and MR winds of both OH 892.0 nm (87 km) and OI 557.7 nm (97 km) airglow layers are similar. The FPI winds of both layers generally match the MR winds well on the observed days, with a few exceptions. The correlation analysis of the FPI and MR wind data shows that the correlation coefficients for the zonal winds at 87 and 97 km are 0.28 and 0.54, respectively, and those for the meridional winds are 0.36 and 0.54, respectively. Based on the assumption that the distribution of the airglow emissions has a Gaussian function with respect to the altitude, we calculated the weighted mean winds from the MR wind profile and compared them with the FPI winds. By adjusting the peak height and full width at half maximum of the Gaussian function, we determined the change of the correlation between the two winds. The best correlation for the OH and OI airglow layers was obtained at a peak height of 88-89 km and 97-98 km, respectively.